What happens to sun-damaged skin?
The most common skin condition that is a result of sun-damaged skin is called solar keratosis. Solar keratosis changes the size, shape, structure and organisation of our skin cells. Solar keratosis lesions may be light or dark, brown, pink, red, a combination of these or the same colour as your skin. Skin color changes caused by sun exposure are common. The most noticeable sun-induced pigment change is brown spots (solar lentigos). Light-skinned people are particularly prone to freckles. Large freckles, also known as age spots or liver spots, can be seen on the backs of the hands, chest, shoulders, arms, and upper back. UV exposure can also cause small white spots on the legs, backs of the hands, and arms (guttate hypomelanosis) as well as red areas on the sides of the neck (poikiloderma of Civatte). Moles (nevi) are usually seen in sun-exposed areas. Although it is normal to acquire new moles from childhood through young adulthood, their formation is stimulated by the sun. Most moles
